Congrats Larry! I know how much work it is to get there and now it's the long road to HR Right now I'm at 294 with about 5 ATNO outstanding cards/confirmations to come in. So if I don't get to 300 this year, it probably won't be too long after the 1st.

Unfortunately that includes 7 deleted countries, so a ways to go before I even get close to HR.

Larry:

Congrats...Now the fun begins..You have definately done it the hard way and my hats off to you. I am at 330 Total and 327 Current (Swains Island will give me 331/328), but I cant see much movement unless I win the lottery and pay a bunch of guys to start activating some rare ones... Good Luck and job well done, the Honor Roll is in sight....

Congrats Larry, if anyone on this forum knows how difficult it really is I KNOW, now just snag the ZL9HR and you will have a perfect DX year, I will try to stay out of ur way, wud like just one qso wid them myself, GL & 72, Dan WG5G.

Congrats Larry, if anyone on this forum knows how difficult it really is I KNOW, now just snag the ZL9HR and you will have a perfect DX year, I will try to stay out of ur way, wud like just one qso wid them myself, GL & 72, Dan WG5G.

Hey guru Dan, I should be so lucky to catch you (or get close for that matter)! I was going to send you an email and see if you needed ZL9 but it sounds like you already have worked it. It's shaping up to be a rough go for us QRPers. High demand, limited time. I hope the crew takes some of the steps others in the ZL9 topic have suggested. Either way, I can either work them or I can't. I know I never will work them if I don't try.

PS Watch your back, buddy, the next QRP Honor Roll may be me. hahahahahahahahaha! By the way, what entities do you have left to work?

Can't believe you had to go up to 100 watts to work Crozet! Just kidding, that is a tough path from here and one I still need. Tried the FT5XO on 100 watts when they were there with no luck. What are you using for antennas?

I have 320 total worked, and about 300 of those have been on dipoles, verticals, and a random wire antenna, so you can do a lot with not much.

Nicely done. You and this fellow WG5G are a real inspiration. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or patience, which is why I am at 306 with a 750 watt amp. I want to get to Honor Roll someday, but I won't get there with QRP and my work schedule.

Dan, WG5G, is one of 2 people (I could be wrong, there might be one or two more - not sure outside of the US) that reached Honor Roll running QRP. He is my inspiration. Antennas, Antennas, Antennas!

My antennas are a Butternut HF5B and a Carolina Short 80 Windom for the low bands. I started out with a Butternut HF2V. Its a fine antenna, but for low band QRP work it seemed I was somewhat limited. I could get out to KH6 to the west and G-land to the east on 80. The windom has proved a much better antenna at least for low band QRP work. On 80 I have been able to get out to Zone 16 to the east and ZL8 to the west.

I was able to catch FT5XO on 30 meters with it. And to the west I've worked into VK6 on 30 and VK7 on 40. My best catch with the windom (and I'm embarrassingly bragging about this one for at least the 3rd time ) was VQ9 on 80 meters. So buy, make, rig the best antenna you can.

One of these days I would like to get the big Butternut beams and another windom perpendicular to the one I have.(By the way the short 80 windom is a fine all-band antenna, I've worked 245 countries in 36 zones with it running 5 watts since 2004. Obviously if you ran more power like 100 watts (or more) you could beat that. It doesn't take the place of a good yagi and some BIG low band antennas. But it is a good compromise on price, performance, and ease of installation.)

Any idea how the Butternut HF5B would compare with a Cushcraft MA5B? MIght be getting one of those up soon. Had one for a year back in 2001.

John AF5CC

I've never used a MA5B so I have no idea how well it works. The MA5B costs less and is probably easier to assemble and tune.

The big difference for me is 12 meters. The MA5B is a 2 element beam on only 20, 15, and 10 meters and a rotatable dipole on 12 and 17. The HF5B is a 2 element beam on 20, 15, 10, and 12 meters. Its a rotatable dipole on 17 meters. The HF5B is in a driven element/reflector configuration on 20, 15, and 10 meters, but its in a driven element/director configuration on 12 meters. I think its a real kicker on 12 meters. (Remember we are talking about 2 element mini-beams here, so I'm not comparing them to larger full size antennas.) The HF5B is a bit smaller and weighs a bit less. Its has held up well in storms and heavy wind. I use a Channel Master 9537 to turn it and never had a problem.

If you have had a MA5B and liked it, that may be the one to go with. I "grew up" with Butternuts. It may be a "I like Ford, you like Chevy" type of thing.

Good evening to Larry and the rest here tonite, Well Larry its true I have wked ZL9AMO back in the late 80s, I wud like 1 qso for the DX MARATHON, as far as my qrp need list, I need VK0H, VU4, VU7, XY, BS7, P5 AND A VALID EP, I worked 9D2UU back in the 90s and have the qsl but ARRL rejected it - no documentation - that one hurt, I had XY1A all to myself, He says I got the whiskey golf, give me the rest and he faded away so its not always fun being a qrper, but sure is a thrill to hear ur call answered in a howling pileup, HI HI, Larry now is the time to possibly improve ur ant situation, heck I have been thinking about improving my ant here to give me a better chance at VK0H, anyway, tnx to everyone on this forum, you all have inspired me, just got back on the air Oct 2010 after a 6 year lay off, Larry helped me get adjusted to this new kind of Dxing, back in the 80s and 90s we tuned the bands and subscribed to the dx bulletins by mail, boy have times changed, good luck on ZL9HR already saw a spot tonite, hope they make a safe trip, 73 to all, DAN WG5G.

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